Public invited to sound off about development on Hodges at J. Turner Butler

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A proposed development of 49 acres in an already fast-growing Jacksonville corridor was the subject of a public hearing Monday.

A pedestrian-friendly mix of 970 multifamily units and institutional, office, retail and commercial space is planned for the property at Hodges Boulevard at J. Turner Butler Boulevard, across from Windsor Commons, according to a filing with the Planning and Development Department.

Access to the development would be off Hodges Boulevard and Glen Kernan Parkway.

Some residents in the area had already expressed their opinion on the project, saying it's not a good idea.

An online petition has even been made and nearly 500 people have signed it and shared their concerns, which mostly include the traffic it would bring. They say the congestion in the area is already bad and has been for years, so a new development would only make it worse.

City Council President Aaron Bowman hosted Monday's meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of Chets Creek Elementary School.

The development is slated for review at the Jacksonville Planning Commission on Thursday, City Council on June 11 and the Land Use and Zoning Committee on June 18.

The Hodges Boulevard and JTB site is not far from 1,000 acres that the Skinner family is preparing for development at JTB and Interstate 295 for residential, commercial, hotel and office uses.